For the past two weeks, I have been eating terrible and skipping workouts. I am writing this post not only because I feel a bit guilty, but also because I know that life happens. Finding a routine while traveling is difficult, but I’ll take a life experience and a hangover and pay my time in the gym later if I have to.

How to stay focused on the road.

It’s not easy… At the time of this posting, I have been living out of hotels for over 2 weeks, I am far from home, really far… I have been from Stockholm to Tokyo, to Kyoto, to Seoul, I have been entertaining Japanese and Korean client almost every night since. To top it off, I work in 3 time zones, I am learning a new language, and travel for 60% of the year. This is by no means sustainable, but sometime you just need to adapt.

So, on heavy jet-lag, minimal sleep, looming deadlines, and foreign ground… The problem I face is staying focused. Multitasking is hard for me, I like to procrastinate and I am easily distracted. But when I have a strategy I know I will stick to it.

So with that in mind here is the strategy, lets call it the Korean Kim-Chi battle plan:

Step 1: Get pumped up

This might be the hardest part. After a long 14 hour day with clients and planning for the next day to do it all over again, the easy thing to do is to lay on the bed and watch Korean game shows until you drift to sleep.

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Let’s watch some YouTube videos of some really jacked dudes lifting super heavy weights!!! I suggest some Kali-Muscle.

Step 2: Chose a location

This is the gym on the 29th floor of the Korean Prince Hotel.

It’s not very impressive, it has a few half kilogram dumbells and a hula hoop. However, I plan on doing a bodyweight routine, I have a bench, some gravity (woo hoo!), and a treadmill. Find something, anything you can workout on, a bench, a desk, a chair, or a playground. Just pick a spot.

Step 3: Workout!

Here is what I’m going to do, feel free to make your own version, just get moving. Also see my previous travel workout routine.

A1) Pushups (3×15)

A2) Wide Pushups (3×8)

B1) 1-leg Squat (3×8)

B2) Crunches (3×30)

C1) Bulgarian Split Squat (3×8)

C2) Elevated Pushup (3×8)

D1) Reaching Lunge (3×8)

D2) Reaching Crunches (3×20)

Step 4: Diet… as best you can…

Sometimes you can’t avoid it, but make an effort to minimize excessive calorie intake.

Using a fasting approach can help you reduce your total intake for the day. I usually wait as long as I can before I eat, knowing that I will be going out to a large dinner in the evening. This way I can still eat, drink, and entertain without completely offsetting my routine.

Put it all together… In the long run, 2 or 3 weeks away from your standard routine wont ruin all your hard work if your smart. However, you need a strategy or fast food and long nights will quickly add a gut and kill your strength gains. Stay Focused!